Fabric and Textile Factory Workers

ANZSCO ID 839914

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,000
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
64%
Female Share
47%
Average age
46

Summary

Fabric and Textile Factory Workers perform routine tasks in fabric and textile factories, such as cutting canvas, upholstery and curtain fabrics, delivering materials to machines, operating automatic machines using computerised patterns, pressing partially completed and finished garments, and inspecting and finishing completed garments.

Tasks

  • Cutting canvas, upholstery and curtain fabrics.

  • Delivering materials to machines.

  • Operating automatic machines using computerised patterns, pressing partially completed and finished garments, and inspecting and finishing completed garments.


Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Other Factory Process Workers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 64% of people employed as Fabric and Textile Factory Workers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is similar to the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
49.8%
2
Retail Trade
11.6%
3
Other Services
7.4%
4
Wholesale Trade
4.2%
5
Other industries
10.4%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

29.1% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

43.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

12.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

5.9% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

6.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.1% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.5% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.7% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Fabric and Textile Factory Workers All Jobs Average
NSW 29.1 31.6
VIC 43.7 25.6
QLD 12.2 20.0
SA 5.9 7.0
WA 6.8 10.8
TAS 1.1 2.0
NT 0.5 1.0
ACT 0.7 1.9


  • Around 75% of Fabric and Textile Factory Workers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    Victoria has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
46
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
47%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Fabric and Textile Factory Workers is 46 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 47% of the workforce. This is similar to the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Fabric and Textile Factory Workers All Jobs Average
15-19 3.2 5.0
20-24 9.4 9.3
25-34 17.3 22.9
35-44 15.7 22.0
45-54 28.8 21.6
55-59 12.5 9.0
60-64 9.1 6.0
65 and Over 3.9 4.2
Median Age 46 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Fabric and Textile Factory Worker.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Fabric and Textile Factory Workers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 1.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 6.2 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 12.3 21.1
Year 12 32.3 18.1
Year 11 8.0 4.8
Year 10 and below 35.0 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Factory Process Workers who are reliable, can work independently and are hardworking.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 52%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 52%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 50%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 48%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 45%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 43%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 41%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 39%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 39%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 39%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 37%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 37%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 37%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 36%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 36%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 34%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 34%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 32%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 30%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 29%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 43%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 43%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 43%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 39%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 36%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 35%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 34%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 30%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 29%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 28%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 24%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 21%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 19%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 16%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 16%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 16%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 14%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 12%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 12%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 10%

    Foreign language

    Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 52%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 50%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 48%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 48%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 46%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 46%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 46%

    Rate control

    Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • 45%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 43%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 43%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 41%

    Auditory attention

    Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 39%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 39%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 39%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 38%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 36%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 85%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 85%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 76%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 68%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 67%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 67%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 64%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 64%

    Working with mechanical equipment

    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.

  • 61%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 59%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 58%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 58%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 57%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 55%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 49%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 49%

    Working with electronic equipment

    Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.

  • 48%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 46%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 42%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 40%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 38%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 19%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 19%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 14%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 14%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 62%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 52%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 36%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 33%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 33%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 29%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 92%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 88%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 80%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 79%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 78%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 77%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 75%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 74%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 72%

    Pace of work set by equipment

    Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.

  • 72%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 70%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 69%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 68%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 66%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 64%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 63%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 61%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 60%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 58%

    Automation of tasks

    Do tasks that are mostly automated.

  • 58%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6062.00 - Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.


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